Casinos frequently implement player tracking systems to track the wagering history of players, to award points or “comps,” (e.g., coupons for discounted meals, drinks, shows, rooms, etc.) based on the level of wagering, and to generally promote the casino by enticing players to return to the casino in order to accumulate more points and comps. Presently it is typical for a player to be issued a plastic card that has an embedded magnetic stripe on which a player identification number is encoded. The player inserts the card into a magnetic reading device located on slot machines or other games in the casino in order to identify the player during the time that the card is inserted in the reader. Some systems require the player to enter a PIN to identify themselves through a keypad. The readers are generally linked to a local computer system that records the gaming activity for each player that uses a card. Some systems link local systems so that information can be available at different locations, although these systems generally do not centralize the information, but instead maintain the information in a distributed fashion at each location.
Despite the widespread use of magnetic card systems for player tracking, these systems have several drawbacks. Card readers tend to require considerable maintenance because of the mechanical parts used in receiving and expelling cards. Cards also tend to get lost, primarily because players forget to take them when they leave a game. Finally, a player that just wants to quickly play a game is discouraged from using his or her magnetic card in that it takes time to use the card: the player has to take the card out of his/her wallet, insert the card, wait for the card to be accepted, enter a PIN, and finally begin play. Accordingly, an improved system is desirable.